Music, theater groups headline busy schedule this week

Pamlico Musical Society will present jazz vocalist Sachal Vasandani in Oriental on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at the Old Theater.

Contributed photo

By Charlie Hall, Sun Journal Staff

Published: Sunday, March 16, 2014 at 05:18 PM.

Local theater gets back into full swing for the three major production companies, beginning with the New Bern Civic Theatre’s StageHANDS opening of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “Cinderella” for eight shows, beginning Friday night.

“Cinderella” show dates are March 21, 22, 28, 29, April 4 and 5 at 7:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. matinees on March 23 and 30.

It is directed by Abigail Leffler and produced by Lucas Dembart, with musical direction by Beth Cox.

Tickets are $18.50 in advance, $20.50 at door, $11 for students and active duty military with ID

Call 633-0567 or on the web: newberncivictheatre.org.

Ratio Theatre Company, in cooperation with Craven Arts Council and Gallery at Bank of the Arts, will present “Let’s Fly Away,” an original musical revue of the life and music of Cole Porter.

Performances are March 28 and 29 at 8 p.m. and March 30 at 2 p.m. at Bank of the Arts on Middle Street in New Bern.

Local theater gets back into full swing for the three major production companies, beginning with the New Bern Civic Theatre’s StageHANDS opening of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “Cinderella” for eight shows, beginning Friday night.

“Cinderella” show dates are March 21, 22, 28, 29, April 4 and 5 at 7:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. matinees on March 23 and 30.

It is directed by Abigail Leffler and produced by Lucas Dembart, with musical direction by Beth Cox.

Tickets are $18.50 in advance, $20.50 at door, $11 for students and active duty military with ID

Call 633-0567 or on the web: newberncivictheatre.org.

Ratio Theatre Company, in cooperation with Craven Arts Council and Gallery at Bank of the Arts, will present “Let’s Fly Away,” an original musical revue of the life and music of Cole Porter.

Performances are March 28 and 29 at 8 p.m. and March 30 at 2 p.m. at Bank of the Arts on Middle Street in New Bern.

Tickets are $25 for adults and $10 for students and can be purchased online at ratiotheatre.org or at the Ratio box office at 901 Pollock St. Tickets include hors d’oeuvres, and there will be a cash bar for wine.

RiverTowne Players will bring “Pippin” to the historic Masonic Theatre, beginning March 28.

The show will run for three weeks. Performances are March 28, 29, April 4, 5, 11, 12 at 8 p.m., two 3 p.m. matinees on March 30 and April 6.

The Masonic Theatre at 514 Hancock St. in New Bern is the performing arts home of RiverTowne Players.

Tickets are $16 in advance, $19 at the door, and $10 for students with valid school ID. Tickets are available on the web: ShowTix4U.com.

Ticket locations include the Bank of the Arts and SnapDragon Way Cool Toys, both on Middle Street in New Bern.

Call 638-2577.

Here is a look at a sampling of the week’s other top activities:

Local law enforcement agencies, the Coastal Coalition for Substance Abuse Prevention and the Neuse Riverkeeper Foundation will host the biannual Operation Pill Drop on Saturday at Realo Discount Drugs on Trent Road and at various Food Lion parking lots throughout Craven County.

It’s important for parents, grandparents and responsible adults to protect others from accidental or addictive behavior with drugs. Large numbers of drug accidents occur each year from mistaken ingestion of drugs or deliberate misbehavior.

There are also permanent drop boxes at the New Bern, Havelock and Morehead City police departments, along with sheriff’s offices in Pamlico and Carteret counties.

***
The New Bern-Craven County Public Library “Let’s Talk About It” series continues Monday at 7 p.m. at the Hayden H. Jones Auditorium on Johnson Street in New Bern.

“Let’s Talk About It — Tarheel Fiction: Stories of Home” is the program, with a discussion of “Visitation of Spirits” by Randall Kenan. The discussion will be led by visiting scholar Lynn Salsi.

The library series is made possible by funding from the North Carolina Humanities Council, in partnership with the North Carolina Center for the Book.

Space is limited. Advanced registration is required. The book is available at the library.

***
Bear Hands Art Factory has “Beginning Level Pottery Wheel,” beginning Tuesday through May 13. It is from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. at the 1208 Pollock St. studio.

It includes “throwing” pots on a potter’s wheel to make bowls and cylinders, trim, fire and glaze. Seven weeks of instruction include a final class with a “Potters’ Luck” dinner and critique night. The $160 tuition covers instruction, No. 25 clay, bisque, and glaze firing of up to eight pieces, use of studio glazes and up to 16 hours lab time. Bring your own tools or purchase kit at studio.

Call 514-2787 or email info@bearhandsart.com.

Beginning Thursday and continuing through May 15 is an evening class, “Beginning Level Handbuilding Pottery.” It is from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

The fee is $15 in advance. Students will learn how to make a wreath frame from grape vines, decorate the wreath with any of the accent materials that will be available, or with any that you may choose to bring. It is for ages 12 and older.

Call 514-3533.

***

The Wild Turkey Federation conservation event is Friday at the New Bern Riverfront Convention Center.

Get tickets to the 6 p.m. event by calling Curtis Priest at 229-0994 or Carl Dixon at 671-2242.

Locally, there is the Neuse Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation.

***

The New Bern Farmers Market will host “Greens and Gospel Day” on Saturday, with special events, music and programming.

It is from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Call 633-0043.

***

The Old Theater’s Friday Flick this week is “Unfinished Song.”

The 2012 film won praise for its casting — Vanessa Redgrave, Terence Stamp, Gemma Arterton and Christopher Eccleston.

Tickets are $6. The box office opens at 6:30 p.m. The show is an hour later.

Proceeds raised go toward the Old Theater’s ongoing operations.

***

The Oriental Tree Board hosts a tree-pruning workshop and Arbor Day tree-planting demonstration on Saturday. The free pruning workshop is at the Oriental Farmers Market on Hodges Street at 9:30 a.m.

The tree planting will be at 11 a.m. on Factory Street by the Duck Pond Park.

Bob Miller of the Oriental Tree Board will lead the free sessions.

Oriental has been a TreeCity USA for nearly two decades.

***

Arapahoe Charter School will present its 2014 Spring Fling 5K Race on Saturday, beginning at 9 a.m. at the clubhouse of Arlington Place.

There are mile and 5K courses through the community.

Proceeds go to support ACS to pay for resources and help children in need.

Entry is $12 for children age 10 and under in the Fun Run/Walk; The entry is the same for those 15 and under for the Youth 5K.

Entry is $20 for the Adult 5K Run/Walk. Awards will be given.

Contact email is brenda.hardison@arapahoecharter.org.

***

Pamlico Musical Society brings jazz vocalist Sachal Vasandani to Oriental on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at the Old Theater.

According to the musical society, he sings in the traditions of Tony Bennett, Frank Sinatra and Kurt Elling.

His most recent album topped the jazz charts.

Tickets are $20, available at Nautical Wheelers, or by calling 249-3670. On the web: pamlicomusic.org.

Show sponsors are Oriental Dental and Marsha’s Cottage.

Also on the web: sachalvasandani.com

***

The New Bern Historical Society is currently accepting applications through Friday for its Harriet Marks Scholarship.

The Marks Scholarship was established by a trust estate created in 1968 under the terms of the will of Miss Harriet Marks as a memorial to the O. Marks family, for which the downtown building is named.

The scholarship goes to a senior graduating from New Bern High School.

The application for the Harriet Marks Scholarship is available on the web: NewBernHistorical.org.

For further information, call 638-8558.

Charlie Hall can be reached at 252-635-5667 or charlie.hall@newbernsj.com